11 November 2026, London (The Net-Zero Circle) Brazil's critical minerals strategy is moving from principle to practice. The government has approved its first official list of critical and strategic minerals, naming 27 substances that will determine which projects can access new state financing as the country seeks to process more of its mineral wealth at home. The list gives investors a clearer picture of where Brasília intends to focus its support. How much it changes in practice, however, will depend on funding, on rules that are still being drafted and on the country's ability to attract private capital.

22 October 2026, London (The Net-Zero Circle by IN-VR) Brazilian Critical Minerals (BCM) is moving upstream of its own mine to secure the reagent its rare earth project depends on. The ASX-listed company has signed a binding agreement, through its wholly owned subsidiary Mineração BBX do Brasil Ltda, to acquire a 90% stake in Sais Nordeste Indústria e Comércio Ltda, a magnesium sulphate producer in Feira de Santana, in the state of Bahia. Financial terms have not been disclosed. The deal reflects a wider shift in how rare earth developers outside China are approaching supply risk. Securing ore and refining capacity is no longer enough; the chemicals used to process that ore matter too. By bringing magnesium sulphate production under its own control in Brazil, BCM aims to cut its reliance on Chinese reagent supply chains and strengthen its position as an upstream supplier to the rare earth industry now being built in Western markets.

14 October 2026, Tangier (The Net-Zero Circle by IN-VR): An Upper Austrian delegation led by Markus Achleitner and Günther Steinkellner visited Tanger Med and Moroccan industrial partners to explore green hydrogen imports and industrial cooperation. Morocco has seven hydrogen projects advancing, with around 15 GW of renewable capacity planned, as it prepares to begin exports from 2030.

Salta has launched its first on-site customs facility for a lithium operation at Ganfeng’s General Güemes processing plant. The system allows lithium chloride to be consolidated, inspected and cleared for export directly at the facility. Following a 240-tonne pilot shipment, the model could help improve the efficiency, traceability and scalability of Salta’s lithium export chain.

Brazil’s new critical minerals law strengthens state oversight of strategic mineral assets while keeping the sector open to foreign investment. The policy prioritises local processing, value creation and supply-chain security, with CIMCE gaining powers to review key transactions. Its impact on investment will depend on how transparently and predictably these new powers are implemented.

Argentina’s mining exports rose 74.4% to US$4.742 billion in early 2026, led by gold, silver and rapidly expanding lithium production. The next challenge is to turn this growth into an integrated Andean mining platform through better infrastructure, Pacific access and cross-border cooperation.